New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The fourth single from Mississippi-renaissance-man Paul Thorn's upcoming album Never Too Late To Call may be his most joyous to date. "Holy Hottie Toddy" takes a simple-but- groove and a resounding chorus to get a very basic, but all-too-important message across; "Love everybody."
The song's last verse sums up the idea succinctly: "Let go of any grudges while you're still around / You can't say you're sorry when you're laying six feet in the ground / The best time is right now." Thorn came up with the idea on a trip to see his daughter's band perform in Oxford, Mississippi. "All throughout her performance, drunk boys kept yelling the words 'Hottie Toddy,' which is a buzz word at Ole Miss," says Thorn. "It's a greeting." Thorn cooked up a catchy hook with the university's classic catch phrase and spun it with his infectiously positive message. "The song is about being all-inclusive," he says. "Let's love everybody."
"Holy Hottie Toddy" comes on the heels of three other singles from Never Too Late To Call. "Two
Tears Of Joy" is a slow-burn ode to life that finds Thorn naming all that he's thankful for without once coming across as cheesy or overly earnest. "It sounds a little corny to say this but I'm a 56-year-old man who has had a really blessed life," says Thorn about the inspiration behind the tune. "I'm really grateful and thankful for everything I have and for the people I've met. 'Two
Tears of Joy' is another way of simply saying I'm grateful." The album's title track was written about Thorn's sister Deborah who passed away in 2018. "When I was on the road, I would want to talk to someone after my shows, after the members of my family were asleep," remembers Thorn. "My sister, a night owl, would often stay up all night. I'd call her and she would say, "It's never too late to call." "
Here We Go" is about Deborah's twin sister, Charlotte, who she left behind when she died. "Charlotte is a devout Christian and firmly believes that they'll be reunited in a better place and will never be apart again," says Thorn. Like most of his songs, this one also has a broader meaning. "Anyone that has someone they love knows it's a joy and privilege," he says. "This song is about having somebody."
Thorn's music has always been a reflection of where he's been or where he is in his life. On Never Too Late To Call, we find mellower Paul Thorn. The wit and the-at times-humorous commentary on life's existential questions are in evidence, but here there is a peace about his life's journey. Or, to put it in his words, "I've been such a lucky boy. I'm crying two tears of joy."
In addition to releasing Never Too Late To Call, Thorn has announced a slew of new tour dates including stops in New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta. A list of upcoming dates can be found below and all scheduled (and rescheduled) dates and ticket information can be found at paulthorn.com/tour.
Catch Paul Thorn On Tour:
July 29 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall
July 30 - Marietta, OH - Adelphia
Music Hall
Aug. 1 -
Black Rock, NY - Sportsmens Park
Aug. 3 - New York, NY - City Winery
Aug. 4 - Shirley, MA - Bull Run
Aug. 5 - Fall River, MA - Narrows Center for the Arts
Aug. 6 - Pawling, NY - Daryl's House
Aug. 7 - Philadelphia, PA - City Winery
Aug. 8 - Lancaster, PA - Long's Park Amphitheater
Aug. 11 - Annapolis, MD - Ram's Head
Aug. 12 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
Aug. 13 - Union Hall, VA - The Coves Amphitheater
Aug. 14 - Bristol, VA - Birthplace of Country
Music Museum
Aug. 15 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
Aug. 25 - Chicago, IL - City Winery
Aug. 26 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
Aug. 27 - Louisville, KY - Old Forester's Paristown Hall
Aug. 28 - Goshen, IN - Ignition
Music Garage
Aug. 29 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
Sept. 10 - Columbus, OH - Athenaeum Theatre
Sept. 11 - Jasper, IN - Astra Theatre
Sept. 12 - Kent, OH - Kent Stage
Sept. 14 - Boston, MA - City Winery
Sept. 16 - Millville, NJ - Levoy Theatre
Sept. 17 - Richmond, VA - Tin Pan
Sept. 19 - Wilkesboro, NC - MerleFest
Sept. 20 - Greenville, SC -
Radio Room
Sept. 23 - Birmingham, Al - Lyric Theatre
Sept. 24 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
Sept. 25 - McMinnville, TN - Cumberland Caverns Volcano Room
Oct. 7 -
Little Rock, AR - Revolution
Music Room
Oct. 9 - Weiner, AR - Arkansas Rice Festival
Oct. 15 - Baton Rouge, LA - Manship Theatre
Oct. 17 - Tomball, TX - Main Street Crossing (solo acoustic)
Oct. 18 - Tomball, TX - Main Street Crossing (solo acoustic)
Oct. 19 - Tomball, TX - Main Street Crossing (solo acoustic)
Oct. 21 - San Antonio, TX - Sam's Burger Joint
Oct. 22 - Greenville, TX - Texan Theater
Oct. 23 - Oklahoma City, OK - Tower Theatre
Nov. 3 - Sutter Creek, CA - Sutter Creek Theater
Nov. 4- Tuolumne, CA -
Black Oak Casino
Nov. 5 - Petaluma, CA - Mystic Theatre
Nov. 6 - Berkeley, CA - Cornerstone
Nov. 7 - Felton, CA - Felton
Music Hall
Nov. 9 - Portland, OR - Alberta Rose Theatre
Nov. 10 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door
Nov. 11 - Eugene, OR - Soreng Theater at The Hult Center
Nov. 12 - Grants Pass, OR - Rogue Theatre
Nov. 17 - Morro Bay, CA - The Siren
Dec. 4 - Sparta, NC - Muddy Creek
Music Hall
Dec. 5 - Saluda, NC - The Purple Onion.
